Railroad-tie



Patented Nov. 26

T. F. THOMAS.

RAILROAD TIE.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TI-IEOPHILUS FLEMING THOMAS, OF GRAND CANE, LOUISIANA.

RA|LROAD- TIE..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,081, dated November 26, 1889. Application filed August 14, 1889. Serial N6. 320,766. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEOPHILUS FLEMING THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Cane, in the parish of De Soto and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Railroad-Tie, of which the following is a specification. Q

My invention relates to improvements in railroad-ties; and it consists in certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of myimproved tie, showing the rails thereon. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a similar View with one of the coupling-plates removed.

My improved tie is composed of the metallic sections or members A A, the inner ends of which are somewhat smaller than the outer ends, and the said inner ends are connected by the coupling-plates B B, the ends of which are bolted to the said members by the horizontal bolts 0, as clearly shown. The inner ends of the said members are shaped so as to form a hinge-joint, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, their upper portions being vertical, as at D, and one of the members being provided with a concaved recess E below the said vert-ical portion, while the other one is provided with a convextongue F, fitting in the said concave recess.

The members of the tie are provided on their upper sides, near their outer ends, with the brackets or lugs G, the inner ends of which are beveled on their under sides, so

that the'outer flange of the rail may be engaged thereunder. The rail is secured on the tie by engaging the outer flange under the lug G and then driving a spike into the tie, so as to engage the inner flange of the rail.

The construction and arrangement of the several parts being thus made known, the advantages of the same are thoughtto be obvious.

The device is very simple in its construction, and can consequently be manufactured very cheaply, so as to decrease the costof building the road. The vertical portions of the inner ends of the members of the tie pre vent the outer ends of the tie from swinging upward, thereby allowing the rails to come closer together, so that the gage of the road is kept uniform. The outer ends of the members, however, are allowed to swing downward, so as to yield to any sudden strain put on the ties, and breaking of the ties is therebyobViated. The coupling-plates hold the inner ends of the members of the tie together, and consequently prevent spreading of the track.

Having th us described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination of the members A A, having their meeting ends engaging and forming a horizontal joint, and the coupling-plates secured to the sides of the members and extending across the joint, as set forth.

2. The combination of the members A A, having vertical upper portions at their meeting ends and having engaging convex and concave portions below the said vertical portions, and the conpling-plates connecting the meeting ends of the said members, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THEOPHILUS FLEMING THOMAS. lVitnesses:

R. H. OLIVER, G. W. PEYTON. 

